Q. Does the immune system help clear HPV after the genital warts are removed?
Hello doctor,
I noticed genital warts two weeks after exposure and got confirmation from a dermatologist. They were very small and were removed by electrocautery. My doctor told me that I would be getting the vaccine as well. Can the immune system clear the human papillomavirus (HPV) after one or two years, even for people whose genital warts were removed? Is it true that once genital warts are removed, they do not get transmitted to another person?
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
There is no cure for human papillomavirus (HPV). Removing visible warts does not necessarily reduce the transmission of the underlying HPV infection. However, in addition to surgical treatment, topical antiviral medicines are recommended. HPV vaccination is required after the end of the treatment regime.
Thank you doctor for the reply,
Can the immune system clear human papillomavirus (HPV) in six months, even for people whose genital warts were removed? I know there is no cure for HPV, but research states that the immune system can clear the virus within two years.
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
About 80 % of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections will clear spontaneously within 18 to 24 months. The studies do not recommend treating sub-clinical lesions. The treatment varies according to warts' number, size, and location. Treatments can be either ablation by vaporization, resection, coagulation, excision, or topical agents. Physically ablative treatments are more effective for wart removal, but in many cases, topical agents are preferred by patients as initial therapy. In your case, they have done surgical excision, which means the chances of recurrence are low. As per the published literature, many cases of genital warts often recur, especially with repeated infections from sexual contact or the long-incubation period of HPV. Hence you must abstain from sexual contact with your partner to avoid transmission. Similarly, you must avoid multiple sexual contacts shortly to avoid contracting the infection from multiple sources. Please do not miss the HPV vaccination in the near future.
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